The government’s accelerated diplomacy with Iran and the European Union over Iran’s controversial nuclear program has resulted in international talks set for early next month to take place in Turkey. In Brussels, the EU’s chief diplomat, Javier Solana, said, “I think it is very likely for the meeting to take place in Turkey.”

He highlighted that his expectations for the Oct. 1 meeting are high because the United States is going to formally participate for the first time in these nuclear talks. Other expected participants are Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany.

Following his comprehensive weekend contacts with Iranian officials, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu held separate telephone conversations late Monday with his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, and Solana, the Hürriyet Daily News learned from well-placed sources.

“The minister told both sides we are ready to do our best, which has been agreed to by all parties concerned,” a Foreign Ministry official told the Daily News. The long-awaited nuclear talks, the first since a 2008 session in Geneva called in over Iran’s refusal to discuss uranium enrichment, are most likely to take place in Istanbul.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Davutoğlu said: "We want the two sides to start negotiations as soon as possible. We see the Iranians approaching positively." He noted that he would also contact with the foreign ministers of the US, Britain and France on the issue.

Turkey has ruled out the role of mediator in the actual resolutions of the nuclear dispute, saying it wants to keep communication channels wide open and eliminate the mistrust between both sides.

“Our role is confined to providing the logistics for the meeting. We’ll not be involved in the nuclear talks,” said one diplomat. Still, Turkey is already well informed about the new proposals from Tehran as well as those from the international community.

On Monday, Solana said the Oct. 1 meeting could set the stage for progress in resolving the standoff over the Islamic Republic’s refusal to freeze uranium enrichment and other U.N. Security Council demands. Washington expresses commitment to negotiations with Iran in the context of previous efforts made by the P5+1, namely the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany.

While commenting on the Turkish position over the international dispute, a diplomatic source said: “There are two instruments in international politics: mediation and good offices [services]. Turkey has offered good offices in the Iran case and has a role in the process. The country is very interested in solving the problems of the region from Iraq to Armenia. This is very clever, very positive for Turkish diplomacy. But I think it will be very much limited as far as international politics is concerned.”

According to the two-track policy of the P5+1, Iran will be offered more incentives, even assistance to reach a civil nuclear program in return for suspending its uranium enrichment activities. In the case no progress is made, Tehran will face more sanctions.

“We need transparency from the Tehran administration but until now that has not been shown,” a diplomatic source said. “This is a difficult process of negotiation. Nobody questions Iran’s right to acquire a peaceful nuclear program but as other countries do, Iranians have to comply with the standards to end concerns and mistrust. Unfortunately, so far the Iranians haven’t done this.”

Now, how Iran will react to the international community’s proposals is a matter of much deliberation. Observers have said both sides have to compromise and move closer to each other instead of sticking to their well-known positions. The U.S. representative to the Oct. 1 meeting is expected to be the State Department’s number three diplomat William Burns, according to a Wall Street Journal report.